founder

[ foun-der ]

/ ˈfaʊn dər /

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See synonyms for: founder / foundered / founders on Thesaurus.com

noun

a person who founds or establishes something, as a company or institution.

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Origin of founder

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English found(o)ur, foundere, fundre “original builder of a city, church, castle, or city; founder of a country,” from Anglo-French fundur, from Old French fondeor, from Latin fundātōr-, stem of fundātor; see origin at found¹;see also -er¹

Words nearby founder

foundation, foundational, foundation garment, foundation stone, foundation subjects, founder, founder effect, founderous, founders' shares, founder's type, founding father

Other definitions for founder (2 of 3)

founder²

[ foun-der ]

/ ˈfaʊn dər /

verb (used without object)

(of a ship, boat, etc.) to fill with water and sink.

to fall or sink down, as buildings, ground, etc.: Built on a former lake bed, the building has foundered nearly ten feet.

to become wrecked; fail utterly: The project foundered because public support was lacking.

to stumble, break down, or go lame, as a horse: His mount foundered on the rocky path.

to become ill from overeating.

Veterinary Pathology. (of a horse) to suffer from laminitis.

verb (used with object)

to cause to fill with water and sink: Rough seas had foundered the ship in mid-ocean.

Veterinary Pathology. to cause (a horse) to break down, go lame, or suffer from laminitis.

noun

Veterinary Pathology. laminitis.

OTHER WORDS FOR founder

2 collapse, succumb, topple, sink.

3 perish, flop.

See synonyms for founder on Thesaurus.com

Origin of founder

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English foundren, funder, fonder, from Old French fondrer “to plunge to the bottom, submerge,” from Vulgar Latin fundorāre (unattested), derivative of fundor-, an s-stem noun interpreted as stem of Latin fundus, actually an o-stem noun (stem fund- ) “bottom”

OTHER WORDS FROM founder

un·foun·dered, adjectiveun·foun·der·ing, adjective

Other definitions for founder (3 of 3)

founder³

[ foun-der ]

/ ˈfaʊn dər /

noun

a person who founds or casts metal, glass, etc.

Origin of founder

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English foundour, founder, from Old French fondeur, from fondre “to melt, cast”; see origin at found³, -er¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use founder in a sentence

After Monday’s conversation with the co-CEOs of Gensler, I talked yesterday with Matthew Lock and Simon Pole, founder and global design director of Unispace.
The future of working will be at home—and at the office|Alan Murray|August 28, 2020|Fortune
He will replace Jeff Wilke, a longtime lieutenant to founder and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos.
Amazon has tapped Dave Clark as chief of its retail business|Rachel Schallom|August 21, 2020|Fortune
Contrast that with founders who conduct an initial coin offering.
Are blockchain companies cursed with too much cash?|Jeff|August 19, 2020|Fortune
It was almost exactly one year ago when Patrick Byrne, founder and CEO of Overstock, resigned abruptly.
The year’s hottest e-commerce stock is up more than 1,500%. Its founder cashed out before the rally|Bernhard Warner|August 18, 2020|Fortune

While they haven’t set any kind of timeline for when they might have a working device up and running, the founders of Universal Quantum told the BBC they are confident the technical capability exists to build the machine.
A New Startup Intends to Build the World’s First Large-Scale Quantum Computer|Edd Gent|June 22, 2020|Singularity Hub
Since then, the app has gained over 165,000 users in more than 70 countries, according to its founder.
My Week on Jewish Tinder|Emily Shire|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Check out a clip from this exclusive interview with SCAD President and Founder Paula Wallace at the 2014 Savannah Film Festival.
Who Is Joe Manganiello? Sofia Vergara’s Fiancé on the Value of Hard Work|The Daily Beast Video|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
No Labels co-founder and Daily Beast columnist Mark McKinnon is also an investor.
‘Ready for Romney’ Is Amateur Hour|Tim Mak|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Fulkerson, the founder of the magazine who has hired March, is someone he can cope with.
The Novel That Foretold the TNR Meltdown|Nicolaus Mills|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The founder of Pan Am, Juan Trippe, knew how business was done in the Caribbean.
Goodbye, Bahamas. Hello, Havana!|Clive Irving|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Their founder named them Minimos Fratres, as a special indication of humility.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various
Who was it but its founder, that led the Conservative party through these successive stages of triumph?
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
In that year the founder of the firm, Mr. Thomas Cook, arranged with the Midland the first public excursion train on record.
Fifty Years of Railway Life in England, Scotland and Ireland|Joseph Tatlow
Walter Mildmay, an English statesman, died; founder of Emanuel college.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
Not so had the founder, Colonel James Skinner, treated the religions of the people among whom he lived.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy

British Dictionary definitions for founder (1 of 3)

founder¹

/ (ˈfaʊndə) /

noun

a person who establishes an institution, company, society, etc

Word Origin for founder

C14: see found ²

British Dictionary definitions for founder (2 of 3)

founder²

/ (ˈfaʊndə) /

verb (intr)

(of a ship) to sink

to break down or failthe project foundered

to sink into or become stuck in soft ground

to fall in or give way; collapse

(of a horse) to stumble or go lame

archaic (of animals, esp livestock) to become ill from overeating

noun

vet science another name for laminitis

Word Origin for founder

C13: from Old French fondrer to submerge, from Latin fundus bottom; see found ²

usage for founder

Founder is sometimes wrongly used where flounder is meant: this unexpected turn of events left him floundering (not foundering)

British Dictionary definitions for founder (3 of 3)

founder³

/ (ˈfaʊndə) /

noun

a person who makes metal castings
(in combination)an iron founder

Word Origin for founder

C15: see found ³

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for founder

founder

[ foun′dər ]

To stumble, especially to stumble and go lame. Used of horses.

To become ill from overeating. Used of livestock.

To be afflicted with laminitis. Used of horses.

laminitis

founder

Origin of founder

Words nearby founder

Other definitions for founder (2 of 3)

OTHER WORDS FOR founder

Origin of founder

OTHER WORDS FROM founder

Other definitions for founder (3 of 3)

Origin of founder

Words related to founder

How to use founder in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for founder (1 of 3)

Word Origin for founder

British Dictionary definitions for founder (2 of 3)

Word Origin for founder

usage for founder

British Dictionary definitions for founder (3 of 3)

Word Origin for founder

Medical definitions for founder